One of my favorite things that Mario has done since he's been here is really prioritize kids that simply love ball (Pause, zero Diddy). He lives and breathes this ****, it's almost robotic, he's like the Terminator where his entire life, literally all of it, is football, football, football.
He wants to surround himself with the same kind of kids, and I'm not saying he's not going after the best athletes and players at the end of the day, but it seems to me like he really connects most with the kids who are serious about the game. In a group of 85, we know there will be some who might not be all-in on winning, who will have a "me first" attitude...it's inevitable. And we know if we start to lose some games, it can fracture a team. But still, with all that being said, I think there's definitely something there to the character of kids he prioritizes the most. He wants kids who will work the hardest. It's something he's said about Cam since Day 1. He brings it up in almost every presser. Hard work works.
I'm so **** excited about this team. I have been, quietly, since the spring window. You could just see the writing on the wall. But now that we are actually able to see these kids in games, I'm starting to have a really difficult time finding pants. Let's just continue to stay healthy, and continue to improve. We got a real shot to have as good a season as we've had in a very, very long time. And IMO a good bit of it has to do with how many of the kids on this team are really hard working, nose to grindstone, blue-collar kids who just want to compete. All that **** starts from the top and he starts drilling that when he meets these kids in 9th and 10th grade.
